Dennis Udoma, Uyo
Akwa Ibom State University in Mkpat Enin Local Government Area has been closed down following students’ protest over the closure of the institution’s portals on Tuesday.
Global Patriot Newspapers gathered that the protest was as a result of the university’s failure to extend the deadline for payment of fees.
Although no casualty was recorded during the demonstration, one of the students who volunteered information to this reporter on grounds of anonymity said that “the action by students was as a result of the harsh economy currently being experienced by Nigerians which has made many of them unable to raise money to make timely payment and, as a result, led to the unrest when the deadline fixed by the university expired.”
This would be the first time students of the institution would go on rampage since the university was established about eight years ago.
An eye witness said the angry students blocked the entrances to the main campus of the institution at Ikot Akpaden, preventing free movement by academic and non academic staff of the institution who wanted to gain access to the campus.
Vic- Chancellor, Prof. Eno Ibanga, has extended the registration period by one week to enable students with difficulties in payment to do so while charging both students and parents to comply with the latest directive.
Meanwhile, students are expected to resume at the end of November.
